1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to welded wire mesh panels which can be used to make fences which are sturdy, economical, attractive, and difficult for children to climb.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Welded wire mesh fence panels have been known for a number of years. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,423,072, issued Jan. 29, 1969, to Bernstein for "Demountable Structural Assembly" discloses welded wire mesh panels which may be connected to a series of upright posts to form a fence. Such prior art panels are made of upright steel wires of circular cross section welded to horizontal steel wires. To provide a sturdy fence made of such panels, the wires must be of relatively large diameter, or else the horizontal and vertical wires must be relatively closely spaced throughout the panel. The larger diameter wires make the fence expensive, and the closely-spaced grid pattern of smaller wires makes such fences easy for small children to climb.
Fences have also been made from wrought iron wire of noncircular cross section which has been helically twisted about its longitudinal axis. Such twisting sets up objectionable torsional stresses in the wire and tends to distort the grain flow lines so that the advantages of cold-drawn wire are lost. Consequently, such wire must have a relatively large noncircular cross section to provide a sturdy fence. Such construction uses a relatively large amount of steel or iron and produces fairly heavy panels which are difficult to handle and install. In addition, wrought iron wire must be relatively soft and have a fairly high carbon content, which precludes welding the wires together to form a welded wire fence panel.